Long ago, saddle bags for horses were made of leather. Later on, when saddle bags were adapted for use on vehicles, typically motorcycles, these saddlebags were also made of leather. Improvements to leather saddlebags include the use of metal and plastic supports that not only help reinforce the heavy leather bag or tub, but the supports also help keep its mouth or opening substantially open making them easier to use. While the virtues of leather saddlebags are well known, expensive material costs and rather costly manufacturing process have limited the use of leather to high end motorcycle saddle bags.
More recently, motorcycle saddlebags and other vehicle mounted containers have been blow-molded, injection molded or rotationally molded of cheaper and lighter weight plastic. To provide a decorative exterior, the plastic tub or bag can be wrapped with vinyl, a coated fabric, a decorative film, or even leather.
Even more recently, removable aftermarket saddlebag liners have been commercialized that are inserted into the plastic tub of each saddlebag to help prevent objects placed in the saddlebag from being scratched or scuffed by the plastic as well as to dampen the noise of the objects rattling around. Saddlebag liners can be formed to fit in the tub or can be made like a gym or duffel bag that zips closed and can be lifted to remove it from the tub of the saddlebag without removing any objects from it. Where formed to fit in the saddlebag tub, it can be made of a fabric, such as a woven fabric, a nylon, or the like, having a soft felt-like surface in contact with objects in the saddlebag to protect them and reduce noise. Where formed like a bag, bag-type saddlebag liners are typically made of nylon or a similar material that also helps protects objects in the bag but dampens sound less. While saddlebag liners have enjoyed some commercial success, they do reduce saddlebag storage capacity somewhat.
What is needed is a vehicle-mounted container construction that eliminates the need for a separate object-protecting and sound-dampening liner. As such, what also is needed is a vehicle-mounted container construction that dampens sound while protecting objects in container from scratches and scuffs. What further is needed is such a vehicle-mounted container construction that is well suited for use as a saddlebag. What is also needed is an improved container liner construction that is well suited for aftermarket and/or retrofit applications.